This universe holds countless known and unknown phenomena. Many of them remain unseen by humans, yet they exist, and their presence can be felt or inferred. In reality, we have never directly observed them because they are invisible, shrouded in darkness. Astronomers continuously search for these unseen objects, and after persistent research, they have finally found a path of light leading to these ghostly entities. For astronomers who have been groping in darkness for so long, this discovery has become a "luminous path" toward understanding the unknown. Recently, The Guardian and Anandabazar reported the findings of astronomers in their headlines.
In reality, the visible matter around us-plants, rivers, mountains, planets, moons, and galaxies-accounts for only 5% of the universe's total mass-energy. The remaining 95% is completely invisible and unknown-a mysterious dark realm. Of this, 70% is dark energy, and 25% is what scientists call dark matter. All stars in the universe spin like tops, yet remarkably, they remain intact. Gravitational forces keep the stars bound, but with such rapid spinning, they should have scattered into space. This does not happen, scientists hypothesize, because dark matter adds an extra gravitational pull, binding all stars tightly.
So far, scientists only know of the existence of dark matter. It is clear that dark matter is not composed of electrons, protons, or neutrons. But its origin and composition remain completely unknown. It interacts strangely with light-it neither absorbs, reflects, nor scatters it. Despite its presence throughout the universe, dark matter remains undetectable with instruments, and it does not interact with other forms of matter.
However, a team of researchers from the University of York in the UK claims that dark matter is not entirely invisible as previously believed. Light can now help reveal the mysteries of these ghostly objects. According to the researchers, areas of the universe filled with dark matter alter the color of light passing through them, leaving a faint blue or red glow. If light from a distant star passes through a dark matter-rich region, its wavelength changes-if it appears redder, the wavelength has stretched; if bluer, it has shortened. This change occurs due to interactions between light particles and dark matter.
Scientists compare this interaction to the "six degrees of separation" rule in human relationships. Direct contact between light and dark matter may not exist, but interaction might occur through other particles, such as Higgs bosons. Previously, the existence of dark matter was inferred from gravitational effects, but now, studying the behavior of light could reveal its presence, potentially simplifying, speeding up, and reducing the cost of dark matter research.
In related research, scientists have noted dangers lurking throughout space. Deep in the void, threats exist that cannot be fully predicted from Earth. However, nature has protected our planet. Earth's vast magnetic field shields it from high-energy cosmic particles. Recently, however, scientists have detected concerning anomalies in this protective field.
A specific portion of Earth's magnetic field over the South Atlantic Ocean is weakening. Long-term research indicates that this weak zone, called the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), has expanded since 2014. Originally noticed in the 20th century, the anomaly caused spacecraft to experience high radiation and occasional blackouts when passing through the region. Observations from the European Space Agency's Swarm satellite constellation reveal that the weak zone is expanding westward toward Africa, while other regions of the magnetic field, like Siberia, have strengthened, and Canada's field has weakened.
Researchers expect that continued study of Earth, planets, stars, and the universe will uncover new, previously unknown facts and lead to innovations for human welfare.